Railway switching and indicating circuits.



Patented Mar. 30

mv V m v UMWMRQQQ r W W h k w n 5 L m {M N. w 0 ml V w m & MM, M, w 9 m\N W\ .WrUMM; mmx m M W W MR1" W. H. REICHARD.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.17, 1910,

RAILWAY SWITGHING AND INDIOATING cmcms.

Wzlzzessas 7HE NORRIS PETERS co, PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WAD-E I-I. REIoHARD, 0E TROY, NEW YoRK, ASSIGNOR To EEDERAL sIGNALCOMPANY, oE ALBANY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION.

RAILWAY SWITCHING AND INDIGATIN G CIRCUITS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

Application filed August 17, 1910. Serial No. 577,666.

elements and combinations as are hereinafter more particularly describedand clalmed. Q

Although the circuits herein described are designed especially for usein connection with railway switch moving devices, they are adaptable touse with other devices wherein control-and indication circuits arerequired. I therefore do not wish to be limited in the use of thisscheme to railway apparatus.

This improvement relates to that class of electrically controlledapparatus which requires that the operator be positively in formed thatthe devices controlled have properly responded to the movement of thecontrolling devices. As an example, we will consider that a railwayswitch point is in its normal position and it is desired to move thesame to the reverse position. The operator will move the controllingdevice, energizing the operating circuit to move the switch. After theswitch is moved and locked the operator should in some way be notifiedthat the switch has moved to the full reverse and has been positivelylocked in that position. Such information to the operator is called inrailway switching and signaling practice the indication.

The means employed to give the indication may be one of several methods,but invariably consists in the energization of a suitable magnet whichwill effect the release of some part of the controlling apparatus. Thisenergization of the releasing magnet moreover is usually accomplishedthrough or by the action of the switch point locking mechanism. In thissystem I prefer to use a suitable magnet as a means of release and alsoprefer to supply the circuit of this release magnet with electricalenergy by the aotlon of the swltch locking device and only after thesaid switch has been fully and properly moved and locked in the positionto which it has been moved.

Among the methods now in use for energizing the indication circuit arethe following: Current from the operating source of energy is employeddirectly. The momentum of the armature of the motor of the device movedis employed to generate elec tric current after the load is removed andthis current so generated may be employed. The motor of the device movedmay drive a generator which will deliver either alternating current ordirect current, which current may be employed, or a transforming devicemay be used which may be energized inductively by the operating sourceof energy or bv the rupture of the field current of the motor of themoving device.

The use of the operating source. of energy is not considered absolutelyreliable by railway signaling engineers owing to the fact that thereleasing magnet is designed to operate on the electromotive force ofthe battery, and if certain wires become crossed a false indication mayresult as the indicating magnet is located in the tower and current fromthe battery must flow from the source of energy, which is also locatedat the tower, out to the device operated and back again through theindication magnet. It is therefore obvious that a cross occurring. inthe indicating circuit at the tower or at any point between the towerand the device operated might produce a false indication. In the othersystems referred to where secondary current is employed to energize theinduction magnet the same fault exists to some extent, 2'. a, if theindication magnet is designed to operate on an electromotive force equalto or less than that of the operating source, a cross between certainwires might result in connecting the operating source with theindication magnet which connection would probably energize the saidmagnet and consequently produce a false indication. To overcome thisfault, I have in the system herein described arranged to use theoperating source of energyof, say 120 volts, and also an inducedelectromotive force of, 'say 120'volts or more.

These two electromotive forces added to-' gether will give a combinedelectromotive force of 240 or more volts, which electromotive force isused to energizethe indication magnet which is so designed that it willnot operate on either of the said elec tromotive forces singly, butrequires at least more than twice the electromotive force of theoperating source. A full and clearde scription of such a systemsupplemented by suitable drawings is here given, although the devicesillustrated may be only'diagrammaticaL.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts ward. In the plate, 5, is arecess, 6, which incloses a disk, 7, which is attached to the core=orplunger, 8, of a solenoid magnet, 9. Inra hole in theslide bar, 4, isarranged a locking dog, 10, which is adapted to be moved downwardandupwardas will be presently explained. This dog, 10, is providedwithalower V-shaped notch, 11, and an upper V-shaped notch, 12. Asuitably arranged spring, 13, is adapted to engage the .said notches,11, and 12, at different times and retain the' dog, --10, either in theupper or lower position to which it may be moved.

Directly above the slide, 4, and over the center of the magnet, 9, islocated a lug, 14, with agbeveled projection on its under side,whose-function is to force down the dog, 10,

when thesaid'slide, 4, is moved forward or backward. The'slide bar, 4.,isalso provided with arecess,15, which is formed in its under edge. This:recess is of a length equal to twice the diameter of the disk, 7, plusthe width of the dog, 10, for the following reason: 7 V V .If themagnet, 9, should for 'any'reason become energized while the slide bar,4, is in'the position shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2-the core, 8, with itsdisk head, 7, will lift and the head, 7, willenter the recess, 15, aheadf or'behind-thedog, 10, and lock'the slide bar,

4,'thus preventing a movement of the lever, 1, in either direction.

To the lower end, 16, of lever, -1,-is pivoted a rod, 17, the other endof which connects with a motion plate,'18. In the plate, 18, is cut aninclined slot, 19. This slot, "19,

carries a roller, 20, which "is suitably arranged in the upper end orthe controller rod, 21, of controller, ttached to and insulated fromthegrod, 21, arethew-ipers, 23,24and 25,-wh1chare arranged to engage andslide between the contacts, 26 and 27,

7 7O 28 and 29,30 and 31, 32 and 33, and 34, and 35. When the controlleris in the position shown in Fig. 1, the wiper, 23, engages con-V tacts26 and 27, the wiper, 24, engages contacts 30 and 31, and the wiper, 25,is above the contacts, 34 and The contacts, 26 and '32, are connectedtogether by wire, 36; the contacts, 28 and 30, are. connected togetherby-wire, 3-7 5 the contacts, 27-and 29,

are connected together by wire, 38, and the contacts, 31and 33,-areconnected together by wire, 39.

lhe source of energy is shown as a battery of storage cells, 40. Fromthe positive terminal'of the battery, 46,a wire, 41, connects withgafuse, 42, of proper-capacity for the protection of the operatingcircuit. From the other terminal ofthe fuse, 42, a'wire, 43, connectswith the contact, 27, of the controller, 22; from the negative terminalof the battery, 40, axw'ire, 44, connects with the controller terminal,33. Th magnet 9 is provided with-a high resistance winding, 45. Thiswinding is connected respectively with the controller contacts, 3.3 and35, by wires, 46 and 47." i

A. pair of railway switch points, 48, are shown-at the-leftof Fig. '1,and are adapted to be moved by suitable means from and to the positionshown. A motor, 49, has attached thereto a worm, '50, which mesheswitlrand is adapted to revolve the worm wheel; 51. Attached to the wormwheel, 51,

is the arm, 52, which is connected with the switch points, 48, bya-suita'ble rod, 53. An other rod, 54, is also attached" to the switchpoints,48, and, by means of aprojection, 55, which-is formed thereon, isadapted to operate the motor control and switch indicating device, 56.Thisdevice is composed of a pair or' rods, 57 and '58, which maybemounted suitably on a base plate and which are adapted to-bemoved by thecranks, 59 and 60. The switch '1-od, 54, when moved will by means of thesaid projection, 55,

shift the said cranks, 59 and 60, and thus move the'rods, 57 and 58. Therod, 57, has mounted thereon and insulated therefrom the wipers, 61, 62,63 and 64, which are arranged to engage at proper intervals thecontacts,'65 and 66, 67 and68, 69-and70, and 71 and 72. Therod, 58, hasmounted thereon similar wipers, 7 3, 74,7 5 and 76, which are arrangedto engage at suitable intervals it the contacts, 77 and 78, 79 and 80,81 and 82, and 83 and84e t A -spr1ng,85, presses against the end of rod,57, and 'tends tohold, or return the dynamic braker, 93.

said rod to the'position shown. A similar spring, 86, presses againstthe end of rod, 58, for the same reason as described, but is showncompressed or under tension, owing to the fact that the crank, 60, isbeing held 7 out of its normal position by the action of the rod, 54,the normalposition being indicated by the dotted line.

. The contacts, and 69, are connected togetherby wire, 87; contacts, 78and 82, are connected together by wire, 88; contacts 66 and 84, areconnectedtogether by wire, 89; contacts 71 and 77, are connectedtogether by wire, 90; contacts 68 and 79, are connected together bywire, 91, and contacts 72 and 83, are connected together by wire, 92.

Another device which forms a part of the railway switch operatingmechanism is the The device is composed of a magnet of the horseshoetype, 94 and 95, being the cores on which-are the windings, 96, 97, 98and 99. These cores are" connected together by the yoke, 100, and thesaid cores are provided with the pole pieces, 101 and 102. An armature,103, is pivoted between the cores, 94 and 95, at point, 104, and isarranged to swing freely between the pole pieces, 101 and 102. Thesprings, 105

and 106, are adapted to hold the said armature, 103, midway between thesaid pole piecesexcept when either of the windings, 96 or 97, areenergized. .On the upper end of the armature, 103, and insulated from itare mounted the contact fingers, 107 and 108, which when either leg ofthe magnet, 93, is energized are adapted to engage one of contacts, 109,or 110, respectively. A wire, 111, connects the contact fingers, 107,with the terminal, 112, of the winding, 97, and a wire, 114, connectsthe contact fingers, 108,

with the terminal, 115, of the winding, 96.

The windings, 98 and 99, are what are known as closedwindings and arefor causinga slow release ofv the armature, 103, as will be presentlydescribed.

The switch pointmotor, 49, is provided with an armature, 117, andbrushes, 118 and 120; also two oppositely wound field coils, 123 and124.The two inner leads of the said field coils are brought together at aterminal, 122, thence by wire, 127', to terminal 121, of brush, 120. Theother terminal, 125, of field coil, 123, is connected to the terminal,115, of the dynamic braker winding, 96, by wire, 128, and the otherterminal, 126, of field coil, 124, is connected to the terminal, 112, ofdynamic braker winding, 97, by, wire, 129; the other terminal ofwinding, 96, is connected by wire, 130, to contact, 81, of the motorcontroller, 56, and the other terminal, 113, of the winding, 97 isconnected by wire, 131, to contact of the motor controller, 56. Otherconnections are as follows :From braker contact, 109, a wire, 132,connects about 200 volts.

with motor controller contact, 80, and from braker contact, 110, a wire,133, connects with motor controller contact, 67. Wire, 134, connectsmotor contact, 69, with contact, 28, of the operating controller, andwire, 135, connects motor controller contact, 82, with the contact, 26,of the operating controller. A wire, 136, connects the switch motorbrush terminal, 119, with the negative pole of the battery, 40. A wire,137 ,connects motor controller contact, 68, with the primary winding,138, of a transformer or induction coil and from the other side of thiswinding, 138, a wire, 139, connects with the wire, 136, and thence tonegative pole of battery, 40. A wire, 140, connects wire, 92, of themotor controller, 56, with the secondary winding, 141, of the saidtransformer or induction coil; and from the other side of this winding,141, a wire, 142, connects with the contact, 34, of the controller, 22.

Assuming that the electromotive force of the battery, 40, to be 110volts, 1 have arranged the ratio of the windings, 138, and 141, so thatthe electromotive force of the secondary winding, 141, when energized is1 have also made the winding, 45, of the indication coil, 9, of suchresistance and ampere turns that neither the current from battery, 40,at 110 volts or current from the secondary winding, 141, at 200 voltswill be sutlicient to energize the magnet, 9, powerfully enough to causeits core, 8, to lift, but only the combined electromotive forces of thebattery, 40, and the secondary, 141, will operate this magnet, 9. Thisis the most important feature of this improvement and should be veryclearly understood for the following reasons.

Frequently indication wires become crossed with operating wires and ifthe magnet, 9, was susceptible to the current from the crossed wires afalse indication might rcsuit. The same fault would exist if the primarywires became crossed as the secondary in such instance might energizethe magnet, 9, and again if the magnet, 9, was susceptible to suchenergization a false indication might result. In other words, thewinding, 45, of the indication magnet is of such resistance and ampereturns that an electromotive force greater than twice that of theoperating battery is required to sufliciently energize the saidindication magnet, 9, to cause its core, 8, to lift.

In this system the indication magnet is energized partially by thecurrent from the battery, 40, and partially by the current induced inthe secondary winding, 141. This current is induced in secondary, 141,by the switch point motor, 49. This motor upon being disconnected fromthe operating battery, 40, after moving the switch points, 48,

. is .short :circuited upon itself and the :cur-

a magnet, 9.

rent gencratedacts as a brake which stops the saidmotor almostinstantly. This braking current. :passes through the primary winding,138,:and lasts only for an instant but during this interval. induces inthe secondary winding, 141 an extremely high electromotive force whichadded to the electro-' motive force of the battery, 40, is of suflieientintensity to operate the indication I am aware that the current fromaswitch motor when running without load has been used directly to operatean indication magnet, but the electromotive force so generated is ofnecessity much less thanthe electromotive force required to runthemotor; therefore the indication magnet must be wound to operate witha current of lessvolta-ge than that of the operating battery, hence thefaultsalreadyreferred to from crossed wires exist in such a system to agreat extent requiring complicated and expensive devioes to render sucha system even partially safe.

Another feature of importance in this system is that should the winding,45, of the indication magnet, 9, become partially short circuitechi. 6.,some of the turnshecome cut.

out, resulting in the magnet requiring a lowerelectromotive force tooperate it, and at the same time a cross should occur the core, 8,.would lift andlforcethe disk, 7, up into the recess, 15, ahead or inthe rear of the dog, 10, as the case might be, and hold the slide.bar,4, positively locked thus preventingany movementot the lever, 1,from its normal or reverse position.

Having described in the foregoing the dillferent devices comprising thissystem and the salient features pertaining to them, I will explain theoperation of the system describing a movement of the lever, 1 from itsnormal position as shown to a reverse position which is indicated by thedotted line, 1.43, at the same time describing the operation of thedifferent devices in their proper sequence during the movement of theswitch points, 48, from the position shown to a position which wouldpermit a train to take the curve track. Supposing the operating lever,1, and all other devices to be in their normal position as shown, itwill he observed in tracing out the circuits that all circuits aredeenergized. It now it is desired to reverse the switch points, 48,thelever, 1, should be pulled forward toward the dotted line, 143. In sodoing the slide bar, 4, is also moved forward and the dog, 10, in theslide bar, 4, willhe forced down into the re cess, 6, by the beveledprojection on the under side oi the lug, 14. The dog, 10, will now comein contact with the forward end of the recess, 6, and temporarily stopthe slide bar, 4,, from further movement in .the

forward direction :and will-likewise stop the lever, 1, fromfurthermovement. The lever,

1, however, can bQ'IX-IOVBCl backward i desired until the dog, 10,engages the rear endiof'therecess, a

. When the lever, 1, is moved forward as just described, =current fromthe positive terminal'of the battery, 40, will flow over wire, 41, fuse,42,.wire 43, to contact, 27, of the controller, 22. 'Owingto theconnections from the lower end of the lever, 1, the controller rod, 21,will be moved downward through .wiper, 63, of the said, controller,

contact, 70, wire, 131, to terminal, 113 of the coil, 97, of the dynamicloraker,-'9 3, energizing the said magnet and causing the armature, 103,to swing to the left until the contact finger, 108, engages contact,110.

Current after passing through the saidcoil, 97, will flow over wire,129, to terminal, 126, of field winding, 124, through winding, 124,

to terminal, 122, through the wire, 127, to vbrush terminal, 121, brush,120, armature, 117, brush, 118, terminal, 119, and thence by wire, 136,to the negative terminal of cattery, 40'. The energization of the motor,49, V

will cause its-armature'to revolve the worm,

50, and the worm wheel,51, which willmove the arm, 52, and the mass,which is connected with the switch points,48, and. throw the saidpoints, 48, to the reverse position. The points in moving will operatethe rod,

55, move the bell crank, 59, and shift the controller rod,57,andthewipers, 61, 62, 63, and 64, to the right, at the' same time thecontroller rod, 58, and the wipers, 7 3, 74, 7 5 and 76, will be movedto the left by the action .01 the compressed helical spring, 86.

'54, which will by means of ,theprojection,

As the rod, 57, moves to the right the wiper,

63, will disengage the contacts, 69 and 70,

'(thus cutting off current from the motor,

49). The wiper, 62, will engage the contacts,-67 and 68, and thewiper,

shiftingof the wipers, 7 3,74, 75 and 76 ha already taken place with themovement of the rod, 58, 2'. 6., the wipers 73 and 74, have disengagedthe contacts, 77. and 78, and 79 61, will en gage the contacts, 65 and66. A similar and 80, respectively, and the wipers, 75 and r 76, haveengaged the contacts, 81 and '82,

and r83=and 84, respectively. As current is! cut off from the motor, 49,by the movement of the Wiper, 63, a circuit is closed through thearmature, 117, field winding, 123, and primary coil, 138, and thecurrent which is generated by the momentum of the said armature, 117,will flow through the following circuit for an instant acting as a brake011 the said armature. From the armature, 117, brush, 120, wire, 127,field winding, 123, wire, 128, terminal, 115, Wire, 114, contact finger,108, contact, 110, wire, 133, contact, 67, Wiper, 62, of motorcontroller, 56, contact, 68, wire, 137, primary coil, 138, wire, 139,wire, 136, armature brush, 118, to armature, 117. This current whilestopping the motor also energizes for an instant the primary Winding,138, which winding will by induction energize the secondary winding,141, momentarily at a high electro-motive force producing current forenergizing the indication magnet, 9.

It will be observed that as the wiper, 61, engages the contacts, and 66,(wiper, 7 6, having previously engaged the contacts, 83 and 84) thatcurrent from wire, 134 (which is now energized) will flow from wire,134, wire, 87, contact, 65, wiper, 61, contact, 66, Wire, 89, contact,84, wiper, 76, contact, 83, wire 92, wire, 140, through secondary coil,141, and thence by wire, 142, to contact, 34, of the controller, 22,Wiper, 25, contact, 35, Wire, 47, winding, 45, of magnet, 9, Wire, 46,to contact, 33, and thence by Wire, 44, to battery, 40. Theelectromotive force of this current is only equal to the potential ofthe battery and is not sufficient, as before stated, to cause the coil,8, of the magnet, 9, to lift. There is, however, in addition to thecurrent just described the current generated in the secondary coil, 141,being induced therein by the instantaneous energization of the primarycoil, 138. This current so generated flows from the coil, 141, over thewires and in the same direction as the current just described to thenegative pole of the battery, 40, thence through the said battery topositive terminal wire, 41, fuse, 42, wire, 43, contact, 27, wire, 38,contact, 29, wiper 23, contact, 28, wire, 134, wire, 87, contact, 65,wiper, 61, contact, 66, wire, 89, contact, 84, wiper, 76, contact, 83,wire, 92, wire, 140, to coil, 141. This electromotive force justdescribed in addition to the electromotive force of the battery, 40, isof sufficient strength to powerfully energize the indication magnet, 9,and cause it to lift its core, 8, with the disk head, 7, and force upthe dog, 10, out of the recess, 6, (the upper end of said dog, 10, willthen project above the top of slide bar, 4,) ahead of the beveledprojection on the under side of the lug, 14. The lever, 1, may now bemoved farther forward to the position indicated by the dotted line 143and in so doing will move the slide bar, 4, to a point where the dog,10, will rest on the bed plate, 5, just ahead of the recess, 6, which isconsidered the full reverse position. The controller rod, 21, with thewipers, 23, 24 and 25, will have also moved farther downword to such aposition that the wiper, 24, will engage contacts, 32 and 33, and thewiper, 25, will have disengaged the contacts, 34 and 35, thus openingthe indication circuit at contacts, 34 and 35, and closing the safetycircuit at contacts, 32 and 33.

When the lever, 1, is in its normal position as shown in Fig. 1, thesafety circuit is closed by wiper, 24. As shown by the safety circuit,the neXt operating wire, which is in this case wire, 134, is connectedto the negative pole of the battery, 40, so that if a positive crossshould occur on the wire, 134, at any point between the controller, 22,and the switch point motor, 49, the current flowing in the crossed wireswill return over wire, 134, directly back to the negative pole ofbattery, 40, instead of operating the motor, 49.

The function of the closed windings, 98 and 99, of the dynamic breaker,93, is as follows :When the current from the battery, 40, as describedis operating the motor, 49, the coil, 96 or 97, is energized to causethe armature, 103, to engage contact, 109 or 110, as the case may be,and when the said current is cut off from the said motor these coilsbecome deenergized, but the magnet flux set up by the disrupting of thecircuit through either of these coils will by induction generatesuflicient current in either of the said closed coils to retain thismagnetism for an appreciable interval or until the current generated inthe breaking circuit has ceased to flow in this said breaking current,when the armature, 103, will be released due to the dying out of theinduced magnetism. This feature, although old, is applicable to thissystem, as it prevents arcing due to a temporary short circuit whichwould otherwise exist at either of the points of conceased to flow inthis said breaking current, was supplied to one of the wires, 134, or135. If it is now desired to again return the Le ver, 1, to its normalposition as shown in Fig. 1, all the devices will act and operate in thesame sequence as just described for moving the lever, 1, reverse, but ina reverse direction.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a railway switching and indicating system, the combination of asource of electric energy and electric motors for setting the railwayswitches; control circuits for causing the said motors to set theswitches in the manner desired; an inductive device having two windings;an indication circuit ar ranged to include thesaid source of electric anintensity sufficient to actuate the said in- 10 energy in series withone Winding of the dica-tion magnet. said inductive device; and anindication In testimony whereof I have affixed my magnet ?rrenged%to1operate-at a potential in signature in presence of two Witnesses.

excess 0 that 0 tie said source When the other Winding of the saidinductive device is WADE REICHARD' being momentarily connected incircuit With Witnesses:

the said motors for the purpose of increasing FREDERICK W. CAMERON,

the current in the said indication circuit: to LOTTIE PRIOR.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Gommissioner' of Patents.

Washingtomfl. 0."

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent N 0. 1,133,819, grantedMarch 30, 1915,

upon the application of Wade H. Reichard, of Troy, New York, for animprove ment in Railway Switching and Indicating Circuits, errors appearin the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 5,lines 104. and 105, for the Word breaking read braking; same page,strike out line 112, and insert the syllable and Words tacts, whencurrent; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with thesecorrections therein that the same may conform to the record of thecasein the Patent Ofice.

Signed and sealed this 11th day of May, A. D. 1915.

[SEAL] R. F. "WHITEHEAD,

Acting Gammz'ssz'oner of Patents.

